Nurses earn Bachelor of Science degrees

Eleven Mercy Hos­pital Ardmore nurses recently obtained Bach­elor of Science in Nurs­ing degrees and four of the nurses received top honors during ceremo­nies at Oklahoma City University.

Those receiving awards include:

■ Jennifer Bramlett — Outstanding RN to BSN Award

■ Melissa Hallum —Academic Excellence RN to BSN Award

■ Judy Parkey — Oklahoma City Univer­sity Star Award

■ Marian Peters — Oklahoma City Univer­sity Star Award

Other Mercy Hospi­tal Ardmore graduates are:

■ Pamela Christian

■ Amanda Hallum

■ Carol Harris

■ Bronson Noland

■ Carolyn Norton

■ Pamela Seymour

■ Mike Talkington

Randy Jobe, Mercy Hospital Ardmore In­terim President and Vice President Mercy Clinic Operations laud­ed the group for taking “a big step in advancing their degrees.” Jobe described the in­tensive fast paced study program the 11 nurses participated in to claim their degrees.

The graduates are part of the expanding group of nurses at the local medical facil­ity who have obtained advanced degrees. In September, hospital of­ficials said an estimated 60 percent of the MHA nursing leadership team had or is currently seek­ing higher degree lev­els from Bachelor of Science in Nursing to masters level nursing degrees. Numerous nursing team members have attained national cer tifications in pallia­tive care, intensive care nursing, case manage­ment and maternal and child health.

In addition, 7 percent of the nurses at the Ardmore hospital have either obtained or were working toward earn­ing a master’s degree. That percentage already exceeds the state aver­age of 6 percent. And, by the end of 2013 that number will increase with an additional eight nurses “on track” to gar­ner another diploma.